In case anyone actually did go and Google Jessi Slaughter after reading my last post, I apologise if it left a nasty taste in your mouth. Please enjoy this AWESOME video of a pug that says "Batman." (I love squish face dogs.)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
That's it, I'm Getting a Dog.
I don't have kids. It's not that I don't like them, per se. I like other people's kids just fine. I'm just way too selfish to have any of my own right now. Thankfully, that seems to be the case with many Angelenos. Most people here are very focused on their careers and, thus, don't start having kids until they're in their late 30s.
However, I've recently been made aware of an incident that makes me rethink the idea of having kids completely. Like, maybe I'd be better off if I ripped my uterus out right now. Perhaps you know what I'm talking about. Have you heard of Jessi Slaughter? She's an 11 year old girl that made several YouTube videos after being harrassed online. She told her cyber bullies that she was going to "stick a Glock in your mouth and make a brain slushy." Her father even got into the mix, making an angry video and spawning catch phrases like "cyber police" and "ya dun goofed." I'm not going to post the videos here. You can see all that, and more, with just a quick Google search.
I admit, I'm kind of out of it when it comes to the new hot websites. I'm on Facebook. I check Perez Hilton several times a day. Other than that, I've got nothing. I don't even use Twitter, because I don't understand it. I take the attitude of "You damn kids and your music...get off my lawn!" Yeah, I'm old.
This incident has spawned a multitude of articles about cyber bullying, safety on the internet and the validity of sites like Tumblr and 4chan. However, I'm left with a much more basic question: what is happening to our children? This girl is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. When I was eleven years old, I was...well, I was in sixth grade. I think I had a crush on Jason Priestley. I listened to Mariah Carey (still do, actually). My friends and I thought that a big adventure was going to a movie at the dollar theatre and then getting some fries at Lindy's.
Granted, we didn't have the internet when I was in sixth grade. In fact, I think that my generation is the last to grow up remembering a time before the internet. Certainly, we knew nothing of "sexting." It was a big deal to even KISS!
Look, I know I sound old. I do. But I can't helped but be disturbed by how fast kids are growing up these days. They know about things that I didn't know about until I was in college. And they don't seem to understand the consequences of their actions. If you take a picture of yourself naked, someone will see it and, more than likely, someone will do something bad with it. It is not private. It will come back to haunt you. It is ALWAYS a bad idea.
So, what to do, then? Who's to blame? Is it the media? Bad parenting? Cow hormones in food? I don't know. Maybe no one is to blame. Maybe this is just a shift in our society. Maybe I'm the one that needs to get up to speed with today's kids.
I'm not sure. All I do know that is if I ever do have kids, I will watch them VERY closely. Or, better yet, maybe I'll just stick to dogs.
However, I've recently been made aware of an incident that makes me rethink the idea of having kids completely. Like, maybe I'd be better off if I ripped my uterus out right now. Perhaps you know what I'm talking about. Have you heard of Jessi Slaughter? She's an 11 year old girl that made several YouTube videos after being harrassed online. She told her cyber bullies that she was going to "stick a Glock in your mouth and make a brain slushy." Her father even got into the mix, making an angry video and spawning catch phrases like "cyber police" and "ya dun goofed." I'm not going to post the videos here. You can see all that, and more, with just a quick Google search.
I admit, I'm kind of out of it when it comes to the new hot websites. I'm on Facebook. I check Perez Hilton several times a day. Other than that, I've got nothing. I don't even use Twitter, because I don't understand it. I take the attitude of "You damn kids and your music...get off my lawn!" Yeah, I'm old.
This incident has spawned a multitude of articles about cyber bullying, safety on the internet and the validity of sites like Tumblr and 4chan. However, I'm left with a much more basic question: what is happening to our children? This girl is ELEVEN YEARS OLD. When I was eleven years old, I was...well, I was in sixth grade. I think I had a crush on Jason Priestley. I listened to Mariah Carey (still do, actually). My friends and I thought that a big adventure was going to a movie at the dollar theatre and then getting some fries at Lindy's.
Granted, we didn't have the internet when I was in sixth grade. In fact, I think that my generation is the last to grow up remembering a time before the internet. Certainly, we knew nothing of "sexting." It was a big deal to even KISS!
Look, I know I sound old. I do. But I can't helped but be disturbed by how fast kids are growing up these days. They know about things that I didn't know about until I was in college. And they don't seem to understand the consequences of their actions. If you take a picture of yourself naked, someone will see it and, more than likely, someone will do something bad with it. It is not private. It will come back to haunt you. It is ALWAYS a bad idea.
So, what to do, then? Who's to blame? Is it the media? Bad parenting? Cow hormones in food? I don't know. Maybe no one is to blame. Maybe this is just a shift in our society. Maybe I'm the one that needs to get up to speed with today's kids.
I'm not sure. All I do know that is if I ever do have kids, I will watch them VERY closely. Or, better yet, maybe I'll just stick to dogs.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Vintage Rehab
No, not the kind of rehab that Lindsay Lohan will soon be going to (too soon?). I'm talking about FASHION REHAB!
In my novel "Becoming Magdalene" Maggie Vega is obsessed with clothes, especially those with designer labels. In her defense, when I was her age (and I was when I wrote the book) I adored the idea of designer labels and Rodeo drive style clothes. However, I live on the east side of LA (not east LA, the east side. Big difference) and you are totally influenced by your neighborhood. I live in hippie/hipster central so my tastes have evolved to funky vintage threads and big jewelry.
Parenthetically, I think that my sheer adoration for the TV show "Mad Men" has also inspired my love of 60s duds. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a Betty or a Joan? Their clothes are so fab! Big prints! Full skirts! Hats! Loves it.
One of my friends is also a big vintage buff so she and I go hunting a lot. Last week, I found an awesome Betty Draper-esque bed coat for a dollar. A DOLLAR! However, it had a few rust stains down the front. I decided to take it home to see what could be done. For a dollar, how could I not?
It turns out there is a very easy fix for rust stains and it's organic, too! Simply rub lemon juice onto the stain and let the garmet dry in the sun. Wash as usual and VOILA! Good as new!
Now if I could just turn myself into a seamstress, life would be so awesome...
In my novel "Becoming Magdalene" Maggie Vega is obsessed with clothes, especially those with designer labels. In her defense, when I was her age (and I was when I wrote the book) I adored the idea of designer labels and Rodeo drive style clothes. However, I live on the east side of LA (not east LA, the east side. Big difference) and you are totally influenced by your neighborhood. I live in hippie/hipster central so my tastes have evolved to funky vintage threads and big jewelry.
Parenthetically, I think that my sheer adoration for the TV show "Mad Men" has also inspired my love of 60s duds. I mean, who wouldn't want to be a Betty or a Joan? Their clothes are so fab! Big prints! Full skirts! Hats! Loves it.
One of my friends is also a big vintage buff so she and I go hunting a lot. Last week, I found an awesome Betty Draper-esque bed coat for a dollar. A DOLLAR! However, it had a few rust stains down the front. I decided to take it home to see what could be done. For a dollar, how could I not?
It turns out there is a very easy fix for rust stains and it's organic, too! Simply rub lemon juice onto the stain and let the garmet dry in the sun. Wash as usual and VOILA! Good as new!
Now if I could just turn myself into a seamstress, life would be so awesome...
Friday, July 2, 2010
Shameless Self Promotion
Anyone out there a fan of Selena Quintanilla Perez, the queen of tejano music? She was murdered in 1995. Jennifer Lopez played her in the movie of her life. Any fans? Well, I am. A HUGE FAN. Like, I went to Texas specifically to visit Selena's grave and see the museum of her life that her family maintains. Hey, everyone has something.
Recently, I helped a fellow fan out with his Selena site. It's Selena-Quintanila.net and you should definitely check it out. Be sure to take a peek at the articles that I wrote for the site, regarding the Selena movie soundtrack (my net handle is LaEscritora). Peep my stuff here: Selena Movie.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled weekend. Happy Fourth of July to all American readers out there!
Recently, I helped a fellow fan out with his Selena site. It's Selena-Quintanila.net and you should definitely check it out. Be sure to take a peek at the articles that I wrote for the site, regarding the Selena movie soundtrack (my net handle is LaEscritora). Peep my stuff here: Selena Movie.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled weekend. Happy Fourth of July to all American readers out there!
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